HTC One Android 4.4 KitKat carrier certification expected next week

HTC One owners are in for a very sweet treat, as the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the device has finally entered carrier testing.

This means that the update is in the final stages and it should receive carrier certification as soon as next week, with a rollout to follow shortly after. The rollout schedule, however, will depend on individual carriers.

"HTC One owners, final KitKat software has entered carrier labs for final testing and expect certification next week: s.htc.com/JuSF73," the company tweeted on Thursday, Jan. 23.

The HTC One has been one of the most popular handsets of 2013 and it's still enjoying great success among smartphone fans. It comes with high-end specs and features and HTC has also paid special attention to design, launching its latest flagship with a sleek and elegant aluminum unibody case that looks and feels great.

While it is undoubtedly a top-end smartphone, the HTC One is not yet running the very latest software version. Luckily for owners of the device, the latest Android 4.4 KitKat is on its way.

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HTC has even put up a web page that details the update process, as well as the status of various Android updates for some of its most popular devices. The Android 4.4 update for its HTC One family of devices takes center stage. HTC has broken down the progress into various stages: Evaluation, Development, Integration, Certification, and final Push to customers. The stages are completed in this particular order. The page shows that the carrier-branded HTC One is already at the Certification stage, which, as the tweet mentioned, HTC expects to reach completion next week.

It's worth appreciating how HTC handles its whole Android update process. The company has been very open about its plans of pushing out new Android versions, providing regular updates on the process. Back at the end of December, for instance, HTC released a detailed infographic listing the stages before delivering updates to end users. Such infographics reveal that any potential delays can be largely attributed to carriers.

Aside from the HTC One, the company's Android update page further reveals some information regarding other devices in the HTC One family. The AT&T HTC One Mini, along with the HTC One Max, for instance, are also set to get an update to Android 4.4 KitKat, but they are still in the integration stage of the process. Other members of HTC's lineup, such as the Droid DNA (aka HTC Butterfly) and the HTC Desire 601 are also waiting for the update.